With the Madras Medical College (MMC) near Broadway receiving the nod for increased intake from this year, students residing at the college’s men’s hostel want better amenities.
The students are of the view that the existing facilities are inadequate and a new men’s hostel block with mess is indispensable.
Presently, there are two blocks, and a smaller one for first year medical, dental and pharmacy students. “There are around 370 rooms in the two blocks and 20-odd rooms for the juniors. At least three students are accommodated in one room in the juniors block. There is a space constraint already and there are no extra rooms,” said a student.
An increase in student strength necessitated an expansion of accommodation facilities too, he added.
The men’s hostel has about 700 students residing there, including medical students, house surgeons, dental and pharmacy students. For some students, the quality of the food served at the mess falls far below their expectations.
“We pay Rs. 65 to Rs. 70 per day for the mess. We pay extra if we want non-vegetarian dishes. But the food served is not good. The mess contractor should be changed as the contract period of two years is over,” another student said.
Another hostel resident said the food served for breakfast and dinner was tasteless, while lunch was good.
Taps run dry
With parts of the city reeling under water scarcity, the hostel too has not been spared.
Drinking water was short in supply, students said. “There has been water shortage for nearly seven months now. It turned severe during the summer, especially in the last two months,” another student said.
Students, who stayed back for the vacation, were affected, as there was no water for bathing either.
“House surgeons have morning and night duty. They have out-patient department postings and even postings at night. When they come to the hostel or want to leave for duty, there is no water supply in the bathrooms,” a hostel resident said.
A well, which was one of the sources of water on the hostel premises, is almost dry. Water supplied in lorries twice or thrice a week has not solved the problem, students said.
“There is a reverse osmosis plant but the filter was not working. Water is available for domestic purposes only for a few hours a day. We pay establishment fee of Rs. 900 to Rs. 1,000 every month towards room rent, water and electricity,” the resident added.
College authorities said at present, there were plans to construct a women’s hostel near the new college building on the old jail campus.
The authorities denied there was water scarcity at the hostel. “We are purchasing three loads of water from Metrowater each week. To compensate any deficiency, we have also written to Metrowater authorities to increase water supply,” an official said.
